Find a Focusing Professional - Ellen Korman Mains

I was born in Montreal, to an immigrant family of Holocaust survivors. At 19, I became the student of a Buddhist teacher who introduced me to meditation and helped me deeply appreciate the nature of suffering, and the value of direct experience. Later, I also trained deeply in the Japanese art of Kyudo (the Way of the Bow) which I taught as adjunct faculty at Naropa University and internationally. In the 1990s, illness led me to study with healers and indigenous teachers, and to connect with the subtle world of energy, in addition to my Buddhist practice. In 2006, I also began traveling to Poland to explore the generational history I had inherited. My memoir, "Buried Rivers: A Spiritual Journey into the Holocaust" describes this healing journey. Against this background of study and life experience, in 2010 I learned about Focusing, which became a central part of my life and my work with others. Since then, both Focusing and meditation have been important venues for trusting my inner direction and for helping others trust theirs. In addition to teaching meditation-based workshops in North America and Europe, and hosting online gatherings to facilitate embodied presence and deep listening, I enjoy helping individuals connect with their own wise resources.